The invention relates to a cooling circuit for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle including an engine block with at least one cylinder head to which coolant is supplied from a coolant pump by way of a coolant pipe.
DE 197 41 861 A1 discloses a cooling circuit for an internal combustion engine wherein the cooling water flow through the internal combustion engine is controlled by a thermostatic valve which is arranged in the cooling circuit in flow direction after the internal combustion engine.
A similar cooling circuit is shown in DE 195 06 935 C1.
Both of these cooling circuits however have the disadvantage that, in spite of relatively involved switching arrangements and other efforts, there is only insufficient waste heat available to a heater for heating the interior of the vehicle during the engine warm-up period.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a cooling circuit for an internal combustion engine with which the internal combustion engine reaches operating temperatures more rapidly that is the coolant flowing through the heater connected to the engine for heating the vehicle interior is rapidly heated for heating the vehicle interior.
In a cooling circuit for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder block with a cylinder head wherein the cooling circuit includes a coolant pump with a coolant duct extending from the pump to the engine for supplying coolant thereto, the coolant duct includes a valve arranged between the coolant pump and the engine for controlling the flow of coolant through the coolant duct to the engine.
With the valve arranged between the coolant pump and the internal combustion engine, it is easy to control the coolant volume flow through the internal combustion engine.
It is for example possible with the valve arrangement according to the invention to keep the coolant duct fully closed while the internal combustion engine is cold so that no coolant is supplied to the internal combustion engine and the coolant disposed in the engine is rapidly heated. When the coolant is sufficiently heated the valve can be opened so that the coolant can circulate in the normal manner.
It is also possible to adjust the valve to provide a certain coolant volume flow through the coolant duct to the engine.
The coolant flow through the engine can be accurately and finely controlled if, as in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve includes a closure element for blocking the coolant flow and the closure element is under full control of an operating mechanism with a control device.